Keratin 17 and Collagen type 1 genes: Esophageal cancer molecular marker discovery and evaluation.

One hundred eighty pairs of tissues of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) were tested by the transcriptome sequencing in order to explore etiology factors. The chi-square test and correlation analysis demonstrated that the relative expression levels of keratin 17 (KRT17) and collagen type I α1 chain (COL1A1) were significantly higher in EC with diabetes. Expression of KRT17 was correlated with blood glucose (r = 0.204, p = 0.001) and tumor size (r = -0.177, p = 0.038) in patients. COL1A1 correlated with age (r = -0.170, p = 0.029) and blood glucose levels (r = 0.190, p = 0.015). Experimental results of qRT-PCR: KRT17 and COL1A1 genes were highly expressed in ESCC (p < 0.05). When the two genes were used as a combination test, the positive detection rate of EC was 90.6%, and the ROC curve had greater power. The KRT17 and COL1A1 genes had the potential to be biomarkers for the diagnosis of ESCC.

Flexible rotation of linear polarization conversion with a frequency selective surface.

A high-efficiency transmitted polarization converter based on a frequency selective surface (FSS) is proposed in this paper. The FSS-based polarization converter (FSS-PC) is designed based on receiving-via-transmitting (RVT) structure. The receiving and transmitting antenna structures are interconnected by the transmission line, designed in the form of metallized via holes. For any linearly polarized (LP) electromagnetic wave, our proposed FSS-PC has the capability to convert it into another LP electromagnetic wave. This converted wave will have a counterclockwise rotation angle of 2φ relative to the incident wave at 11 GHz. This is achieved by adjusting the relative azimuth φ between the polarization plane of the incident LP wave's electric field and the converter. Meanwhile, the FSS-PC can achieve exceptionally high polarization conversion above -0.30 dB at the central frequency of 11 GHz. Furthermore, as the azimuth of the incident electric field varies, this high-efficiency polarization conversion capability remains stable. The prototype has been fabricated and measured, and the measured results agree well with the simulated ones, thus confirming the effectiveness of the proposed design.

Design of a Reconfigurable Ultra-Wideband Terahertz Polarization Rotator Based on Graphene Metamaterial.

In this work, a reconfigurable ultra-wideband transmissive terahertz polarization rotator based on graphene metamaterial is proposed that can switch between two states of polarization rotation within a broad terahertz band by changing the Fermi level of graphene. The proposed reconfigurable polarization rotator is based on a two-dimensional periodic array of multilayer graphene metamaterial structure, which is composed of metal grating, graphene grating, silicon dioxide thin film, and a dielectric substrate. The graphene metamaterial can achieve high co-polarized transmission of a linearly polarized incident wave at the off-state of the graphene grating without applying the bias voltage. Once the specially designed bias voltage is applied to change the Fermi level of graphene, the polarization rotation angle of linearly polarized waves is switched to 45° by the graphene metamaterial at the on-state. The working frequency band with 45-degree linear polarized transmission remaining above 0.7 and the polarization conversion ratio (PCR) above 90% is from 0.35 to 1.75 THz, and the relative bandwidth reaches 133.3% of the central working frequency. Furthermore, even with oblique incidence at large angles, the proposed device retains high-efficiency conversion in a broad band. The proposed graphene metamaterial offers a novel approach for the design of a terahertz tunable polarization rotator and is expected to be applied in the applications of terahertz wireless communication, imaging, and sensing.

Association of LAMA1 Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma among the Eastern Chinese Population.

Introduction: LAMA1, also known as laminin subunit α1, is a member of the laminin family, which is widely reported to be a key basement membrane molecule that affects various biological activities and is associated with many kinds of diseases. We aimed to investigate the association between LAMA1single-nucleotide polymorphisms and the occurrence and progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the Chinese population. Method: 2,186 participants were collected retrospectively between October 2008 and January 2017, including 1,043 ESCC patients and 1,143 noncancer patients. A 2 mL blood sample was obtained intravenously for the LDR for SNP analysis. The 6 SNP loci of LAMA1 were selected and examined. We analyzed the association of several genetic models of 6 LAMA1 SNP loci, sex, age, smoking and drinking status, and the occurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Results: In the rs62081531 G > A locus, genotype GA was a protective factor for ESCC compared with GG (OR: 0.830, P=0.046), especially among the younger and nondrinkers. At rs607230 T > C, genotype TC was linked with a lower risk of ESCC compared with TT. (OR: 0.613, P=0.034). Haplotype Frequencies revealed that Ars62081531Grs621993Ars539713Trs566655Ars73938538Crs607230 (OR: 0.803, P=0.028) and Grs62081531Grs621993Ars539713Trs566655Crs73938538Crs607230 (OR: 0.679, P=0.010) were strongly associated with lower susceptibility of ESCC. Conclusion: The LAMA1 rs62081531, rs539713, rs566655, and rs607230 polymorphisms were demonstrated to be related to susceptibility to ESCC in the Chinese population. LAMA1 SNPs may have a significant impact on the occurrence of esophageal cancer and may serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers.

A Connexin-Based Biomarker Model Applicable for Prognosis and Immune Landscape Assessment in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: Gap junction protein (Connexin) family is the basic unit of cellular connection, whose multiple members were recently demonstrated to be associated with tumor progression. However, the expression pattern and prognostic value of connexin in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have not yet been elucidated. Methods: Consensus cluster algorithm was first applied to determine a novel molecular subtype in LUAD based on connexin genes. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two clusters were obtained to include in Cox regression analyses for the model construction. To examine the predictive capacity of the signature, survival curves and ROC plots were conducted. We implemented GSEA method to uncover the function effects enriched in the risk model. Moreover, the tumor immune microenvironment in LUAD was depicted by CIBERSORT and ssGSEA methods. Results: The integrated LUAD cohort (TCGA-LUAD and GSE68465) were clustered into two subtypes (C1 = 217 and C2 = 296) based on 21 connexins and the clinical outcomes of LUAD cases in the two clusters showed remarkable discrepancy. Next, we collected 222 DEGs among two subclusters to build a prognostic model using stepwise Cox analyses. Our proposed model consisted of six genes that accurately forecast patient outcomes and differentiate patient risk. GSEA indicated that high-risk group was involved in tumor relevant pathways were activated in high-risk group, such as PI3K/AKT signaling, TGF-ß pathway, and p53 pathway. Furthermore, LUAD cases with high-risk presented higher infiltration level of M2 macrophage and neutrophil, suggesting high-risk group were more likely to generate an immunosuppressive status. Conclusion: Our data identified a novel connexin-based subcluster in LUAD and further created a risk signature which plays a central part in prognosis assessment and clinical potency.

The Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of AP1S1 are Associated with Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Chinese Population.

Background: The σ1A subunit of the adaptor protein 1 (AP1S1) participates in various intracellular transport pathways, especially the maintenance of copper homeostasis, which is pivotal in carcinogenesis. It is therefore rational to presume that AP1S1 might also be involved in carcinogenesis. In this hospital-based case-control study, we investigated the genetic susceptibility to ESCC in relation to SNPs of AP1S1 among Chinese population. Methods: A database containing a total of 1303 controls and 1043 ESCC patients were retrospectively studied. The AP1S1 SNPs were analyzed based on ligation detection reaction (LDR) method. Then, the relationship between ESCC and SNPs of AP1S1 was determined with a significant crude P<0.05. Then the logistic regression analysis was used for the calculation for adjusted P in the demographic stratification comparison if a significant difference was observed in the previous step. Results: AP1S1 rs77387752 C>T genotype TT was an independent risk factor for ESCC, while rs4729666 C>T genotype TC and rs35208462 C>T genotype TC were associated with a lower risk for ESCC, especially in co-dominant model and allelic test for younger, male subjects who are not alcohol-drinkers nor cigarette smokers. Conclusion: AP1S1 rs77387752, rs4729666 and rs35208462 polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to ESCC in Chinese individuals. AP1S1 SNPs may exert an important role in esophageal carcinogenesis and could serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers.

Case-control study on TP73 rs1801173 C > T gene polymorphism and susceptibility to gastric cancer in a Chinese Han population.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the role of TP73 gene polymorphism, rs1801173on risk of gastric cancer. METHODS: We conducted a case-controlled study including 577 primary gastric cancer and 678 normal control cases. The target gene fragment was amplified using PCR using blood samples collected from patients. Allele analysis and genotyping were performed using snapshot method. RESULTS: The findings showed that the control group had consistent genotype frequency distribution and presented Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The results showed no significant differences in sex, drinking history and age distributions between subjects with the polymorphism and subjects in the control group. Smoking status was correlated with incidence of gastric cancer (P = 0.006). The rs1801173 locus of TP73 gene contained 3 genotypes including: TT, CT, and CT. Logistic regression analysis showed that distribution of recessive model and dominant model was comparable between the two groups before (P = 0.688; 0.937) or after (P = 0.703; 0.990) adjusting for confounders. The distribution frequency in case group was not significantly different relative to that of the control group (P = 0.763). CONCLUSION: Smoking can independently influence the risk of gastric cancer. TP73 gene rs1801173 polymorphism was not significantly correlated with risk of gastric cancer.

Research Progress of Circular RNA in Gastrointestinal Tumors.

circular RNA (circRNA) is a closed ring structure formed by cyclic covalent bonds connecting the 5'-end and 3'-end of pre-mRNA. circRNA is widely distributed in eukaryotic cells. Recent studies have shown that circRNA is involved in the pathogenesis and development of multiple types of diseases, including tumors. circRNA is specifically expressed in tissues. And the stability of circRNA is higher than that of linear RNA, which can play biological roles through sponge adsorption of miRNA, interaction with RNA binding protein, regulation of gene transcription, the mRNA and protein translation brake, and translation of protein and peptides. These characteristics render circRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets of tumors. Gastrointestinal tumors are common malignancies worldwide, which seriously threaten human health. In this review, we summarize the generation and biological characteristics of circRNA, molecular regulation mechanism and related effects of circRNA in gastrointestinal tumors.

Case-Control Study on TNFRSF6B Gene Polymorphism and Susceptibility to Gastric Cancer in a Chinese Han Population.

PURPOSE: To explore the relationship between rs2297440 and rs2297441 polymorphisms of TNFRSF6B gene and susceptibility to gastric cancer. METHODS: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted. A total of 577 gastric cancer cases and 678 normal controls were recruited. Their genotypes were determined using the SnapShot method. RESULTS: The smoking rate in the case group (34.49%) was higher than that in the control group (27.29%). For TNFRSF6B rs2297440, among people <62 years old, the risk of gastric cancer in TC people was 1.84 times that in TT people. Among the non-drinking people, the risk of gastric cancer in the CC type was 0.66 times that in the TT+TC type. Among the drinking population, the risk of gastric cancer in the TC type was 1.67 times that in the TT type, and the risk in the TC+CC type was 1.70 times that in the TT type. As for TNFRSF6B rs2297441, in males and non-drinkers, the risk of gastric cancer in the AG type was less than that in the GG type. No matter how old the patient is, the risk of gastric cancer in the AA type was less than that in the AG+GG type. CONCLUSION: A correlation exists between smoking and gastric cancer. For TNFRSF6B rs2297440, the TC genotype may be a risk factor for gastric cancer in people <62 years old. In the non-drinking population, the homozygous mutant of CC may be a protective factor for gastric cancer. In the drinking population, TC type may be a risk factor, whereas the TC+CC type dominated by C may be a protective factor. For TNFRSF6B rs2297441, the AG genotype may be a risk factor for gastric cancer in males and non-drinkers. The AA homozygous mutant may be a protective factor for gastric cancer.

The Relationship Between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of SMAD3/SMAD6 and Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Chinese Population.

BACKGROUND: The TGF-ß signal pathways play a key role in the development and promotion of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The pathway is mediated by the SMAD family proteins that include SMAD3 and SMAD6. Our study aimed to evaluate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of SMAD3/SMAD6 and susceptibility to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in the Chinese population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a hospital-based case-control study compromised of 1043 ESCC patients and 1315 non-cancer patients. Seven SMAD3/SMAD6 (rs8028147, rs3743343, rs3743342, rs8025774, rs8031440, rs803167, and rs34643453) SNPs were selected and used to evaluate their correlation with ESCC susceptibility. Genetic model tests, stratified analyses, linkage disequilibrium analyses, and haplotype analyses were performed in our study. RESULTS: Participants with SMAD3 rs3743342 C>T, rs8025774 C>T, rs8031440 G>A or rs8031627 G>A had a significantly higher risk of ESCC. This was more evident in males, older patients (>63 years), smokers, and non-alcohol drinking participants. Linkage disequilibrium analyses further revealed that there were strong correlations between SMAD3 rs3743342 C>T, rs8025774 C>T, rs8031440 G>A, and rs8031627 G>A. In the same line, haplotype analyses revealed that SMAD3 ACCCGGSMAD6A and SMAD3AGCCGGSMAD6A were associated with less susceptibility to ESCC while SMAD3ATTTAASMAD6A was associated with a higher risk of ESCC. CONCLUSION: SNPs of SMAD3 were related to higher susceptibility to ESCC. As such, they may contribute to the development of viable strategies for early diagnosis and treatment of ESCC. However, more detailed association mechanisms between SMAD3/SMAD6 SNPs and ESCC need further experiments to prove.

Tannin-based biosorbent encapsulated into calcium alginate beads for Cr(VI) removal.

A composite biosorbent (AC-TFR) prepared by encapsulating tannin-formaldehyde resin (TFR) into calcium alginate (AC) beads was used to remove Cr(VI) from an aqueous solution. Various influencing factors, such as TFR dosage, pH, initial Cr(VI) concentration, contact time, temperature and presence of co-ions in the medium, were investigated. The structures and adsorption performances of the adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Compared with other AC-TFR adsorbents, AC-TFR-2 (mass ratio of AC:TFR = 1:1) showed an excellent adsorption capacity based on the efficiency of Cr(VI) removal. The kinetic data fitted to pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion models suggested that the adsorption process was subject to a rate-controlling step. The equilibrium adsorption data fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm model, and the maximum adsorption capacities of AC-TFR-2 were 145.99, 167.22 and 174.52 mg/g at 288, 298, and 308 K, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters revealed that Cr(VI) removal by AC-TFR-2 was endothermic and spontaneous, and the process was chemical adsorption. The mechanism of Cr(VI) removal consisted first of reduction to Cr(III), which has a low toxicity, and then chelation onto AC-TFR-2 via ion exchange.

Binary geometric phase metasurface for ultra-wideband microwave diffuse scatterings with optical transparency.

Diffuse scatterings of electromagnetic (EM) waves by thin-thickness metasurfaces have promising prospects in many fields due to their abilities of significantly reducing the backward scatterings of targets. One of the major challenges is to further improve the working bandwidth. Here, we propose a binary geometric phase metasurface with high optical transparency to realize ultra-wideband backward scattering reduction through diffuse scatterings. A multi-layered reflective meta-structure is used as the basic building block while its out-of-phase counterpart is achieved through a geometric rotating operation. The proposed metasurface shows a polarization-insensitive wave-diffusion property with about 10 dB scattering reduction in an ultra-wide frequency band from 3.5 GHz to 16.6 GHz, reaching a fractional bandwidth of 130%. As the experimental demonstration, prototype is fabricated and measured that is in agreement with simulated results. The proposed metasurface provides an efficient way to tailor the exotic scattering features with simultaneously high optical transmittance, which can offer crucial benefits in many practical uses, for example, window stealth applications.

Association of Genetic Polymorphisms in FOXA1 with the Progression of Genetic Susceptibility to Gastric Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between polymorphism of FOXA1 gene rs12894364 and rs7144658 and susceptibility to gastric cancer. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted to select 577 cases of primary gastric cancer and 678 cases of normal control. We extracted whole blood genomic DNA and amplified the target gene fragment by PCR. The genotyping and allele was tested through a snapshot method. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the frequency distribution of genotype between the case group and control group (P > 0.05). Stratified analyses showed the SNPs were not correlated with the susceptibility of GC according to different age, gender, cigarette smoking, and alcohol drinking status. CONCLUSION: There is no significant correlation between the polymorphisms of FOXA1 gene rs12894364 and rs7144658 and the risk of gastric cancer.

Ultrathin Single Layer Metasurfaces with Ultra-Wideband Operation for Both Transmission and Reflection.

Artificially engineered metasurfaces provide extraordinary wave control at the subwavelength scale. However, metasurfaces proposed so far suffer due to limited bandwidths. In this paper, extremely thin metasurfaces made of single metallic layer is experimentally presented for ultra-wideband operation from 9.3 to 32.5 GHz (with a fractional band of 112%), working at both transmission and reflection modes simultaneously. The phase control is achieved by azimuthally rotating the scatterer based on Pancharatnam-Berry phase principle. Nearly uniform efficiency (≈25%), approaching the theoretical limit of the infinitely thin metasurface, is achieved throughout the operation band. Finally, the proposed design is implemented for applications, e.g., the generation of electromagnetic waves carrying orbital angular momentums as well as anomalous reflections and refractions. The metasurfaces are characterized numerically and experimentally and the results are in good agreements.

Directional Janus Metasurface.

Janus monolayers, a class of two-faced 2D materials, have received significant attention in electronics, due to their unusual conduction properties stemming from their inherent out-of-plane asymmetry. Their photonic counterparts recently allowed for the control of hydrogenation/dehydrogenation processes, yielding drastically different responses for opposite light excitation spins. A passive Janus metasurface composed of cascaded subwavelength anisotropic impedance sheets is demonstrated. By introducing a rotational twist in their geometry, asymmetric transmission with the desired phase function is realized. Their broken out-of-plane symmetry realizes different functions for opposite propagation directions, enabling direction-dependent versatile functionalities. A series of passive Janus metasurfaces that enable functionalities including one-way anomalous refraction, one-way focusing, asymmetric focusing, and direction-controlled holograms are experimentally demonstrated.

Association between apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 rs1760944 T>G polymorphism and susceptibility of cancer: a meta-analysis involving 21764 subjects.

BACKGROUND: Previous case-control studies have suggested that apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) rs1760944 T>G polymorphism may be associated with cancer risk. Here, we carried out an updated meta-analysis to focus on the correlation between APE1 rs1760944 T>G locus and the risk of cancer. METHODS: We used the crude odds ratios (ORs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the possible relationship between the APE1 rs1760944 T>G polymorphism and cancer risk. Heterogeneity, publication bias and sensitivity analysis were also harnessed to check the potential bias of the present study. RESULTS: Twenty-three independent studies involving 10166 cancer cases and 11598 controls were eligible for this pooled analysis. We found that APE1 rs1760944 T>G polymorphism decreased the risk of cancer in four genetic models (G vs. T: OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.83-0.92; P<0.001; GG vs. TT: OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.69-0.86; P<0.001; GG/TG vs. TT: OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.77-0.89, P<0.001 and GG vs. TT/TG: OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80-0.92, P<0.001). Results of subgroup analyses also demonstrated that this single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) modified the risk among lung cancer, breast cancer, osteosarcoma, and Asians. Evidence of publication bias was found in the present study. When we treated the publication bias with 'trim-and-fill' method, the adjusted ORs and CIs were not significantly changed. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, current evidence highlights that the APE1 rs1760944 T>G polymorphism is a protective factor for cancer susceptibility. In the future, case-control studies with detailed risk factors are needed to confirm or refute our findings.

Full control of conical beam carrying orbital angular momentum by reflective metasurface.

Conical beams have recently attracted much attention due to their excellent performances and potential applications in wireless and satellite-based communication technology. Here, reflective metasurfaces composed of Pancharatnam-Berry (PB) phase elements are demonstrated to have the ability to be flexible and to fully control the conical beam generation with desirable orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes. The theoretical model is developed to analyze the behavior of the conical beam radiation from the reflective metasurface and especially to predict the cone angle, one of the most important factors in the conical beam design. Analysis shows that arbitrary combinations of the cone angle and the OAM mode can be obtained by synthesizing the spatial phase distribution of the metasurface. Finally, two prototypes of microwave metasurfaces, with working bands from 14 GHz to 17 GHz, are fabricated and measured, and the results agree well with the theoretical predictions and simulations. This work demonstrates that metasurfaces can be used for controlling the conical beam generation with desirable OAM modes to potentially enable high capacity data communication, paving the way for novel devices with an appealing low-profile in wireless communication applications.

Optically transparent metasurface Salisbury screen with wideband microwave absorption.

We present an optically transparent broadband microwave absorber based on the concept of metasurface Salisbury screen (MSS). The metasurface with optimized reflection phase profiles is used as the ground plane to excite multi-MSS resonances that are required for achieving continuous wide absorption bandwidth. Meanwhile, by employing indium tin oxide (ITO) film and glass dielectric substrate, high optical transparency and wideband microwave absorption can be obtained simultaneously. Both full-wave electromagnetic simulations and experiments demonstrate that the transparent MSS can perform an efficient absorption over 89% in an ultra-wide frequency band ranging from 4.1 GHz to 17.5 GHz with a sub-wavelength thickness. In addition, good angular performances are observed for all wave polarizations. The proposed MSS may provide a powerful platform for efficiently designing broadband absorption in microwave region with advantages of light weight, thin thickness, and high optical transparency, which could further find potential uses in many real-world applications.

PADI4 rs2240337 G>A polymorphism is associated with susceptibility of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer (EC) remains one of the major causes of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Genetic factors, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), may contribute to the carcinogenesis of EC. METHODS: We conducted a hospital based case-control study to evaluate the genetic susceptibility of SNPs on the development of EC. A total of 629 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cases and 686 controls were enrolled for this study. Seven PADI4 SNPs were determined by ligation detection reaction method. RESULTS: Our findings suggested that the PADI4 rs2240337 GA/AA variants were significantly associated with decreased risk of ESCC. Haplotype PADI4 Ars2477137Crs1886302Grs11203366Grs16825533Grs2240337Ars1635564Ars1635562 and Crs2477137Trs1886302Grs11203366Ars1635564Grs2240337Crs1635564Trs1635562 polymorphism was correlated with decreased susceptibility to ESCC, while Crs2477137Trs1886302Ars11203366Ars1635564Grs2240337Ars1635564Ars1635562 was correlated with increased susceptibility of ESCC. Stratification analyses demonstrated that smoking significantly increased ESCC risk in PADI4 rs11203366 AG/AA, rs1886302 CC/CT, rs1635562 AT, rs1635564 CA and rs2477137 AC genotype. Alcohol drinking increased ESCC risk in PADI4 rs11203366 AG, rs1635562 AT, rs1635564 CA, rs2477137 AC, rs1886302 CT genotype. In younger cohort (<63 years), rs11203366 AA genotype was associated with increased risk of ESCC. PADI4 rs1886302 CC variant was associated with ESCC susceptibility in female cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that PADI4 rs2240337 G>A polymorphism may be correlated with individual susceptibility to ESCC. PADI4 rs11203366, rs1886302, rs1635562, rs1635564 and rs2477137 polymorphisms were implicated with altered susceptibility of ESCC based on sex, age, smoking status and alcohol consumption. However, larger studies among different ethnic populations and further experiments using genetically mutated cells or animals are warranted to verify our conclusion.

Polymorphisms of VDR gene and risk of gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma in Chinese population.

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms have been reported to increase susceptibility to some malignant tumors, yet the effect on gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma susceptibility remains unknown. Here, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study to examine the correlation of single nucleotide polymorphisms of VDR rs2107301T>C, rs2228570C>T, rs1989969C>T and rs11568820 G>A and gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma susceptibility. A total 330 cases and 608 controls were enrolled in the study. Using ligation detection reaction, we found that the variant alleles of the four polymorphisms were not associated with risk of gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma. Further stratified analyses showed that there was an increased risk associated with VDR rs1989969 polymorphism among patients who were drinking or aged <60. The haplotypes VDR Trs2107301Trs2228570Crs1989969Grs11568820 reduced the susceptibility. This study demonstrated that VDR rs1989969 polymorphism was involved in the carcinogenesis of gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma, especially increased the risk in the younger and alcohol drinking Chinese population.